Shared Hearts
by The Girl in the Red Jacket
Summary: When one soul is wounded, three hearts bind together to heal it. mm
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em.  
  
Author's Note: Alright, this is a new story, one I know some people have been looking forward to seeing. *Waves to Danny* It's not at the top of my priorities right now. There's some family stuff going on right now that's not so fun and then there's schools stuff then story was CBTE, Estel and the next part of the "The" series are front of the line but I am working on it. And it solves the B/J T/J dilemma. *grins*  
  
Thanks, as always, go to me wonderful beta Mandi, who puts up with me even when I blame fic endings on her!  
  
Shared Hearts  
  
  
  
Prologue  
  
  
  
If you had asked Tommy if he would be doing this five years ago, he would have laughed in your face. Of course, he would have laughed in your face before he came to Angel Grove about many things. Especially if he wasn't having a good day or if he had a bad feeling about you or hell even if just the way you looked rubbed him the wrong way.  
  
But this wasn't something he'd ever expected to find himself doing.   
  
Jason stirred slightly as he searched for him. Tommy quickly moved closer to the sleeping man, who snuggled as close as possible as soon as he came into contact with him. Tommy tightened his arms around his lover as Jason buried his face in his neck and sighed softly in contentment... and perhaps a bit of relief.   
  
Tommy knew Jason desperately craved contact with any warm, friendly body; a side effect from too many days spent hidden away from those he cared about, but was also aware that only he, and one other person, had the power to calm him, to take the pain away when some obscure memory became too much.   
  
It was the least the two of them could do for him.   
  
Tommy sighed. He knew he shouldn't be so pessimistic. It had been weeks since Jason's last nightmare. His eyes were no longer painfully bruised from the exhaustion that came from lack of sleep. His face had lost the gauntness it had taken on when he first returned; good food and good friends helping him to regain his lost weight. His smiles and laughter were no longer hesitant or faked and they came in free, plentiful amounts, maybe not as much as before but that was to be expected. It was still early, after all. Only so much could be done so fast.   
  
"How has he been?" A soft voice asked from the doorway.   
  
Tommy looked up and smiled. "Fine. He's just sleeping, no drugs. It was a good day today. He even talked about going home for awhile."   
  
There was a chuckle. "In other words he's been going stir crazy and driving you up the wall."   
  
"Hmph. I know Dr. Trynt told him to take it easy, I'm not sure he gets what Jason considers taking it easy. The injuries are healed, he's not having any problems with his hands and he's getting restless. He wants to start living again. He's never liked hiding away. It's not how he does things," Tommy sighed. "I know we've all got a way to go yet... to get over what happened but... we can't hide him away from the world and keep him safe. He would kill us for even trying! Besides, it's not what he wants."   
  
"I know." Tommy watched as clothes were shed and simply dropped to the floor. "Although there is a certain appeal to keeping him locked up in here for just you and me."   
  
"Don't even think about it," Jason mumbled sleepily, opening one eye half way to look at the newcomer. "You're back early."   
  
The covers were drawn back and a third body joined them on the bed. Jason made a contented sleepy sound as another pair of arms added to the embrace and a tiny kiss was placed at the back of his neck. "We're finished. Completely."   
  
Jason's eyes opened a little bit wider and he shifted so he could look at his other lover even as a tremor raced through his body. His voice cracked slightly, "It's done?"   
  
The arms tightened around him, and his lovers moved closer almost instinctively, trying to comfort and protect him from what had happened. Jason exhaled, relaxing between them.   
  
"It's done, Jason. They're not going to hurt anyone else like this ever again. It's over." The whisper was intense and Jason felt something inside him release.   
  
His head dropped forward against Tommy's chest, his breathing shaky, unsure of what he was supposed to be feeling. He felt moisture build in his eyes and struggled with the tears for a few moments before giving in and letting them release.   
  
"Let it out, Jase, its okay," Tommy whispered, his fingers moving to gently stroke the dark hair as the warm tears began dribbling on his shoulder. He felt the hand stealing around the still thin waist to rub Jason's stomach.   
  
Jason wept for a long time, not even sure of why he was crying just knowing he needed to. A shaky smile stole over his face as the tears finally ran dry; he had heard often enough that crying was part of healing, or so his shrink kept telling him. He vaguely wondered if the Triforian would object to the term...   
  
"Feel better?" Tommy asked, kissing his forehead.   
  
"Yeah," Jason admitted his voice quiet and tired, "and I'm glad really. It's just... hard still."   
  
"We know, its okay," Tommy told him, silencing any apologies that Jason was inclined to make.   
  
"We're still staying here for awhile." Fingers brushed his side gently. "We're staying as long as you need to recover. You just focus on that."   
  
"Thank you," Jason sighed, letting his body go limp with exhaustion, trusting he was safe. "I love you both so much. I don't think I would have been able to do this without you. I... just thank you."   
  
Green eyes met chocolate ones over Jason's head and both of his lovers snuggled closer, whispering their own 'I love you's' as they made sure their bodies were as closely entwined as possible. Sandwiched between them, Jason yawned and murmured something sleepily.   
  
An indulgent kiss was placed on his shoulder. "Get some rest, love, we've got you."   
  
Jason sighed and nodded in agreement, closing his eyes and drifting back asleep, warm and safe wrapped up between the two dearest people in the world to him.   
  
Tommy felt fingers stroke his side softly and smiled at his still awake bedmate. "You finished, huh?"   
  
The movement stop and instead became the warm weight of a hand on his side. "Yes. I no longer have any obligations to anyone on this planet, except the two of you."   
  
"Good. We need you too," Tommy told him. He moved his hand from where it was still stroking Jason's hair and gently cupped the smooth cheek of his still awake bed mate. "And I'm not just talking about Jason..."   
  
"I know," the green eyes smiled softly for a moment and the face moved, turning into his hand to kiss the palm. "I love you too, Tom."   
  
"I love you too, Bill, and don't you forget it." 


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Not mine!  
  
Author's Note: Thanks, as always, to Mandi for being the world's best beta.   
  
This chapter takes place before, about a year before, the prologue. Jason is with someone but not with Billy AND Tommy. Just one of them at this point.   
  
Chapter 1  
  
Trey could not remember being this angry before in his life.  
  
He was bruised, dirty and tired from the fight. What he really wanted to do was go take a nice, hot bath and relax, maybe go see the latest holovid his little brother had been yammering about.   
  
No, scratch that, what he really wanted to do was annihilate whoever had staged the attack in the first place. He wanted them to pay for every second of pain they were putting him, and the people he cared for, through.  
  
They had taken Jason.  
  
Trey did not know why they would take the young Earthling. The group in question, a rebel group trying to take over a nearby planet, Saugus. They had been trying to regain power for years, and Triforian peacekeepers had been called in twice to help them deal with problems. Most of the force behind the rebels were from off-planet, having been exiled from their own planets for one reason or another.   
  
Triforia kept a large file on the planet, detailing quite a few things that would be valuable to the rebels but Jason wasn't even Triforian! Anyone who knew anything about the two species would recognize him as an Earthling within a glance!   
  
Trey sighed, he wasn't sure these rebels did know anything about the two species, or even anything about how they kept their files. The higher ups in the organization knew that only a select few knew their location, and fewer had seen them but there were little sects of the rebels, again mostly from off planet, who tried to impress the people in charge, hoping to gain acceptance. If that was the case...  
  
Trey swore, Jason was in trouble then. Even the rebels had a code of honour, they would not take an innocent civilian, no matter who he was friends with, especially one like Jason. The sects that were not part of the main group, that would not know the differences between Triforians and humans...They were known for their brutality.   
  
And Jason, Trey knew, was still not at his best. He had come to Triforia after giving the Gold Ranger powers back to Trey. The powers were unlike any the Earth rangers had possessed. One could not simply give them up. Jason could not keep them, they were slowly killing him, but without properly detaching them, they had already begun trying to adapt his biological make-up, he would continue to weaken and eventually die.   
  
Jason's system had, thankfully, already been purged of the Gold Ranger powers. He had been set to leave Triforia within the next few days, wanting to spend some time with Trey before he left. Dr. Trynt had just cleared him of all side-effects, it was registered the computer, before he had been captured.  
  
Dr. Trynt had been found unconscious in the closet. Trey didn't know why they hadn't taken him. The army doctor who also attended to the needs of the royal family would have been a much more inviting target than a civilian.   
  
Trey sighed, looking at the communicator in his hands. He didn't want to do this. He did NOT want to do this. Contacting Jason's lover and telling him what had happened was going to crush the other man, and Trey didn't want to hurt him, he was a friend too. It had to be done, though, and Trey would rather do it himself than have someone do it for him.  
  
Sighing, he pressed the button.  
  
"Hello?"   
  
The voice was groggy and muffled with sleep. Trey knew about the time difference between Earth and Triforia but this could not wait.  
  
"I...I have bad news..." Trey stammered out, getting right to the point.  
  
"What?" The voice was awake now. Wide awake. "Jason?"  
  
"Yes," Trey closed his eyes. "He's been taken prisoner."  
  
"WHAT!?"   
  
"I'll explain everything later. You should get here as soon as possible though," Trey suggested. "We may need your help."  
  
"It teleportation a viable source of travel?"  
  
"Yes, contact me when you're ready and I'll set it up, bring whatever you need with you though." Trey told him.  
  
There was a pause. "May that include another person?"  
  
"Who?" Trey wondered aloud.  
  
"Tommy. If he finds out his best friend is missing and we have not included him in the search efforts he will try to find Jason on his own, even without Ranger powers."  
  
"Ah, yes. Bring him as well." Trey could just see that happening, and see them having to rescue two former Ranger leaders instead of one. Whoever they were up against they were not to be underestimated.  
  
Another pause. "Trey, were...were the treatments finished or will Jason be...?"  
  
"They are finished. That we do not have to worry about." Trey assured him.  
  
There was a sigh of relief. "Thank God. I will contact you when Tommy and I are ready to depart."  
  
"Yes, Billy. We will find your beloved, I promise."  
  
*****  
  
Jason was roughly shoved into a tiny cell. He dropped unceremoniously to the floor with a groan, his head spinning. They had given him something when they captured him, his arm was bruised from it, but he wasn't sure what it was. It had made him black out and now he felt light-headed and couldn't remember being so thirsty in his life.  
  
He slowly sat up, scooting backwards cautiously until he felt a wall behind him and leaned back against it. It was cold and damp against his bare skin, making him shiver. He wished he had a shirt. He hadn't been wearing one they grabbed him, just a ratter pair of blue jeans. Dr. Trynt had been examining him when the palace had been rocked by a set of explosions.  
  
Dr. Trynt had been knocked unconscious and Jason knew he was in no condition to fight himself. Dr. Trynt had told him he would be fine, the residue of the Gold Ranger powers were one, but he was still damnably weak. He knew he couldn't defend both of them.   
  
So he had hidden Dr. Trynt, shoving his limp body into a closet and hoping whoever was attacking wouldn't try to come into the medical bay.  
  
They did though, and Jason could not fight them off long. Eventually they had gotten the best of him, he had been held down, and a syringe had been shoved into his arm. It had taken effect quickly, darkness edging into his vision though Jason fought against it. Then unconsciousness had claimed him.  
  
He awoke to find himself restrained, being dragged down a dirty hallway. He tried to struggle but all the gained him was a few hard kicks in the ribs that sent him reeling. He had just gathered his wits when they hauled him up, released the restraints, and shoved him into the tiny cell.  
  
He looked around, one arm wrapped around his middle, still hurting from those kicks. The cell was just long enough that he could lay down in it. It looked, in width, like he could press his back up against one wall and touch the other with his hand if he stretched. There was a naked light bulb fixed to the ceiling, which was just a bit taller than he was.   
  
There was a hole in the floor he supposed was meant to be a toilet and a slot in the door he had been shoved through, which he suspected was where they would feed him, if they feed him at all. There were two ventilation shafts at the top of the room, so he knew he wouldn't suffocate, and a pipe snaked down from part of the ceiling, a thin stream of water dribbling from it before hitting the floor and draining out of the cell by the toilet.  
  
Jason moved to the pipe and stuck his hand out, letting water pool in his hands. He cautiously tasted it with just the tip of his tongue, not trusting it. He quickly spat, and wiped the hand on his jeans. It was drugged, he could taste it.   
  
Jason sighed, wrapping his arms around his knees and curling into himself to keep warm. He rested his head on his knees in the middle of the cell and closed his eyes.   
  
He had to get out of here. 


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
Author's Note: Thanks as always to Mandi for betaing for me and thanks to Danny for getting me to actually work on it. These parts will connect up to the prologue, I promise.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Jason stretched his legs out, trying to keep them limber. He had explored the entire cell thoroughly, not finding any possible escape route. The door sealed when it was locked, there was a little slot where food, which Jason hadn't touched, had been slid though. The air vents were far too small to climb though.   
  
There was no chance of escape until they let him out of the cell.  
  
His stomach growled. He glanced over at the food and sighed. It was drugged just like the water.  
  
It had been three days since he had had either.  
  
He rested his head against the cold stone wall and closed his eyes. For as long as he could he just concentrated on breathing, trying to calm and centre himself.  
  
Three days was a long time...  
  
He was almost positive the first drugs he had been injected with had partially dehydrated him. He needed to drink something. It was getting to the point where he felt light headed from the lack of nourishment.   
  
He sat down, wrapping his arms around his knees and staring at the wall, wiping absently at his forehead with his arm. He was getting sick. He had been weak to begin with and the conditions were wearing him down fast.   
  
His skin felt hot, he knew he was running a fever. It wasn't very high yet but…  
  
He heaved a sigh. There was nothing he could do and he was tired. He felt so tired and he didn't know why because almost all he had been doing was sleeping or staring at nothing, trying to think of something other than food and water.   
  
He let his head rest on his knees, shivering slightly as the cold wall came into contact with his back. After the first touch it felt good, but that first contact sent a jolt through him.   
  
He closed his eyes with a tired, nearly hopeless sigh, and tried to rest.  
  
*****  
  
Tommy was pacing.   
  
He knew it wasn't particularly productive, knew it wasn't doing much to alleviate the know of worry deep in his gut, knew it was making the passing Triforians look at him slightly funny.   
  
He did it anyway.  
  
They were no closer to finding Jason then they had been when they got there two days ago and now Trey wouldn't let him in the main chambers where all the planning was going on. He didn't blame him. He didn't trust himself to stay calm anymore. It was all just so frustrating.  
  
Eventually he paced himself down to the outside of the lab where Billy had disappeared into shortly after their arrival. The sandy-haired genius was helping the Triforian scientists working in the lab at the palace to modify the antidotes for human physiology. There were some drugs that the people who may have taken Jason normally used and they wanted to have as many counter agents ready for when they found him as possible.  
  
Tommy couldn't get into the lab himself. He didn't have the proper identification and the check was extensive. The people inside also had to go through a cleaning process before getting into the actual lab Billy was in. Tommy could send him a message, but that was about all the contact he would get until Billy decided to come out.  
  
Or was escorted out, Tommy amended, his eyes widening in surprise as the doors opened with a hiss, a disgruntled looking Billy in scrubs being led out by an intern, or so the badge the young woman wore indicated. Billy did not look happy.  
  
Billy saw him, and nodded once, but was speaking briefly to the intern. Tommy caught the words, "not for at least eight hours", at which Billy scowled, before the woman disappeared into the doors again.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Billy asked somewhat dully as Tommy walked over.   
  
"Pacing. Trying to kill time before something comes up and Trey lets me do something," Tommy admitted with a shrug. "They kicked you out too?"  
  
"The supervisor insists I get some sleep," Billy muttered.   
  
"It has been two days Bill," Tommy reminded him.  
  
Billy snorted, "I've worked without paused, except for coffee breaks, for longer than this."  
  
"You've never worked for this long when Jason has been in trouble and we haven't been able to help him," Tommy stated firmly. "You've probably been working like a mad man and worrying about finding Jason has got to be exhausting you emotionally."  
  
"It's important we get these drugs adapted," Billy ground out.  
  
Tommy touched his shoulder gently, "Bill, we don't even know who exactly took him yet or when we're going to find him. You won't do any good then if you've collapsed trying to do everything at once."  
  
"I know that!" Billy snapped before closing his eyes briefly in pain. "Every time I stop I can't help but think of what they might be doing to him. Tommy, I can't…"  
  
Tommy sighed when he trailed off and nodded, "I know."  
  
Billy opened his eyes and Tommy had to look down, unable to examine the pain held in those green orbs too closely. He knew they mirrored his own. For a few moments they both remained silent, then Tommy cautiously slid his arm around Billy's shoulders, giving him the chance to pull away.  
  
When he didn't Tommy squeezed his shoulder once, "Come on, we'll go get you something to eat, do a check in with Trey and then see if you can sleep for awhile. You're not supposed to be back for eight hours."  
  
"Preferably more," Billy said with a nod.   
  
"Okay, we'll manage that," Tommy said, leaving him away.   
  
*****  
  
Jason had searched every corner of his cell again. There had to be some other source of water, some leak or something, somewhere he could drink from other than that pipe. He needed to drink but he knew there was something in that water.  
  
If there was another source, he couldn't find it.   
  
He sank slowly to the ground, burying his head in his hands. He felt sick and his concentration was flighty, there one moment and gone the next.   
  
He needed something to drink.   
  
He sighed and tried to distract himself. He had been trying to for the past... for however long he had been in there. It wasn't working very well. He needed something to keep his mind off his overwhelming thirst and the growing hunger that gnawed at his insides.   
  
He thought of Billy a lot.  
  
He wondered what he was doing, how much time had passed? They never turned that light off. Never. Hadn't yet. So there was no way for him to tell how long he'd been in there.   
  
It couldn't be that long. He wasn't dead yet, or at least he thought he wasn't, hoped he wasn't. Sometimes he thought he must be but then he wasn't sure he could last like this forever and wasn't sure he'd have much choice if he was dead.   
  
How much time had passed? Had Trey told Billy? Trey would have had to tell his friends, have had to told Tommy and Billy…  
  
He missed them. He wished Billy were there to hold him… He shook his head. He didn't want Billy to be there. He didn't want to be there. He didn't know why he was there. What did the want from him?  
  
"What do you want from me?" He yelled without realizing he was talking, that the words were somewhere other than his head. "Let me out, dammit, LET ME OUT!"  
  
He looked at the pipe. He watched the liquid dribbling down onto the cement, was this cement? Did aliens use cement? It looked like cement.   
  
He stared. He watched as, drop by drop, it spilled onto the ground.  
  
He groaned. He was so thirsty.   
  
*****  
  
Tommy took Billy to the kitchens after checking in with Trey. There was no news. It was not surprising but didn't help Billy's mood.  
  
They then headed for the kitchens despite Billy's protests that he wasn't hungry, that he wanted to stay in case something happened. Tommy saw the look in Trey's eyes. He was going to kick them both out, the lab had already called telling Trey to send Billy away.  
  
Tommy sat Billy down at the metal table and told him not to move in his best leader voice. Billy gave him a look chilly enough that it would have made him shiver if he hadn't been ready for it.   
  
When Tommy came back a few minutes later with a tray of food Billy had not moved but greeted him with another icy glare. Tommy said nothing, just placed the plate of food in front of him.   
  
He wasn't exactly sure what it was he was giving Billy to eat; just that he had eaten it earlier with Trey's younger brother. It was hot, tasted good and was filling so he wasn't going to complain.   
  
  
  
The smell of the food hit Billy and he dug in almost before he knew what he was doing. Tommy picked at his own food, not overly hungry but eating a little bit so Billy wouldn't feel awkward.   
  
When Billy was finished with his second serving and the rest of Tommy's food he pushed the plate away and nearly glared at Tommy. "I supposed you're going to take me to my room now?"  
  
"Yup. Trey'll ban me completely if I don't. Besides, you need to sleep," Tommy told him.   
  
"Tommy… I don't know if I can sleep…" Billy confessed hesitantly.   
  
"Lay down for awhile then," Tommy replied. "Look, I know it's hard. Trey made me sleep already and… well, I didn't want to really either. Being alone in the room just gave my mind time to wander. But I did sleep and…"  
  
Tommy hesitated for a moment, unsure of how Billy would take the offer. "I'll stay with you until you fall asleep if you want. I know how much that empty room bites and I've got a book Trey pushed at me earlier I can read."  
  
Billy glanced at Tommy for a moment and then shrugged before saying softly, "Thank you."  
  
"No problem," Tommy replied. "Just remember I'm here for you, okay? We've got to be here for each other because this just hurts so bad…"  
  
"I agree," Billy sighed, his eyes gathering moisture. "I just want him back."  
  
"Me too," Tommy agreed.   
  
They remained silent for the rest of the walk to the room Trey had had someone set up for Billy. Tommy flopped into the closest chair and pulled out a book from the bookcase when Billy had turned around.   
  
The sandy-haired man simply collapsed onto the bed, not bothering to take of his shoes. He yawned widely as he tried to say, "I'm not going to be able to sleep even with you here."  
  
"Just try to for awhile, okay?" Tommy asked. "Then Trey can't blame me for letting you wander around."  
  
  
  
Billy didn't answer. His eyes were closed. He'd fallen asleep almost as soon as his head had hit the pillow, his worry for Jason finally catching up with him.   
  
Tommy gingerly removed Billy's shoes. Billy stirred slightly but didn't awaken. He lay them at the end of the bed and gently removed the silver rimmed glasses before drawing the blankets that were piled at the end of the bed over him. Billy sighed softly and shifted, strands of blond hair falling softly over his forehead.  
  
Tommy's face softened and he reached out to brush the hair back. His hand strayed slightly, touching the smooth cheek, "We'll find him, Bill. We will. We have to."  
  
*****  
  
Jason woke up crying.  
  
He didn't realize it until a salty tear trickled past his cracked lips. He flinched, for a moment not realizing what he was tasting. He relaxed only slightly when he realized what it was.   
  
He was thirsty.  
  
He knew the water was drugged.  
  
  
  
He was so thirsty...  
  
Pulling himself over to where the water trickled from a thin pipe coming from the ceiling he debated for a moment before putting his mouth under the tiny stream. For a few moments it tasted fresh and he drank it greedily but as his thirst abated he could again taste the tang that told him the water was drugged.  
  
He didn't care in that moment, he was too thirsty. He drank his fill, then pushed himself away from the wall. He curled up on his side, facing away from the trickling spout and closed his eyes, letting sleep claim him. 


End file.
